There’s not nearly enough ridicule of men who travel to pay for sex in public life, so we’ll have to live with this SNL spoof until real news about real-life depravity makes the front pages.

— Jason Clampet

Share

Tweet

Share

Post

Send

Poor Rosetta Stone. The language learning service that’s changed the game for the business in ways that Bertlitz would rather not think about was a target of Saturday Night Live this weekend. In a segment dedicated to independent learners proudly sharing why they’re studying a foreign language online, writers focused on a few … let’s say “undesirable” clients eager to begin journeys of their own.

“I’m learning Thai so I can go to Thailand for .. a thing,” one relatively creepy students states.

While another equally non-comfortable man says, “I’m also learning Thai … for business.”

“I’m learning German, so I can pretend I’m German while in Thailand,” says a man in a windbreaker.

While some idiots claim sex tourism is a gray zone, people who actually know about the issue recognize it’s not. Rosetta Stone may not enjoy being party to a mocking, but it’s hard to argue that travelers shouldn’t be reminded of the creeps that surround them more often than they’d like.

Stay up-to-date on the business of travel in Asia with our weekly newsletter straight from Skift's Singapore bureau.